Find out about the It's Now Cool girls who sizzle in our campaigns. All our girls are as beautiful on the inside as they are on the outside and we wanted to give our readers an insight into who these babes really are!

We have curated the most select assortment of designers to feature on our online store and we have profiled each of our amazing brands to give you the ability to find out about the talent behind the scenes.

P.E NATION // PIP & CLAIRE

Designer Interviews | Apr 10, 2018

Firstly, where are you in the world right now and where have you been lately (and why)?

Pip: We’re both in Sydney at current but we’ve both recently been in Melbourne (for a very exciting meeting), and I’ve been in LA, New York and Dallas (for P.E sales, PR and retail trip). It’s been a busy couple of months juggling the kids and travel and work !!!!
How did you get started in P.E Nation?

Pip: It all started with the name – my initials…. and from there, over a long lunch, Claire and I realised that this idea had legs and was bigger than just a pipeline dream. We weren’t thinking strategically in the beginning, it wasn’t about filling a gap, but it was a purposeful decision to create something that our own wardrobes were lacking. And we thought if we needed it, then other women would too!
Swimwear and activewear this season, what are the trends we should look out for?

Claire: We’re loving lots of bold lettering and logos that’s very reminiscent of street vibes – it’s a change from our signature geometric lines and it’s perfect for summer and playing into the functionality of the active wear. It’s fun, playful, bold and street.
What are your sources of inspiration and how do you go about designing each season?

Pip: We are inspired by everything! Architecture, music, film, art, friends, food, runway, menswear… there is inspiration in everything around us in our everyday life, in addition to what high end fashion brands are doing. At the beginning of each season, Claire and I collate our pinterest boards (there are hundreds of pins!) and we sit down and bounce off ideas for our direction – usually based on what’s happening around us, what’s coming from the designers and then what plays to our unique aesthetic of who we are and what we stand for.

Ok, we’re in your hometown for 24 hours. Where do you take me, so I fall in love and return?

Claire: I’m from Avalon so, we’d start the day at the Boathouse for brekky in Palm Beach, then take a walk up to Barrenjoey Lighthouse to take in the breathtaking views of Palm Beach. After this, we will drive into Avalon, my little community suburb where I always pick up the best fresh flowers from Haven and Sarah and do a spot of shopping at Mama Papa for some beachy linen pieces. We would then pack our surf boards into our car and hit Whale beach for an afternoon surf and bake. Now its time for sun downers at “The Newport”. I wish this day was everyday.

Pip: We’d start by walking the Bondi Beach promenade to get to a boxing session with Transpose Fitness at the North Bondi Boat Ramp – the view is so beautiful from there you almost forget how hard the session is! Then onto Cali Press for a super smoothie and we would drink this as we stroll down Gould St to shop and get our fashion fix. We’d then hit Icebergs pool for a swim, sauna and bake in the sun, before heading up to Icebergs Bar and Dining Room for a couple of bloody Mary’s to take in the view over Bondi. We may decide to eat there, or hit Da Orazio for some awesome Italian or Drake for a more Mediterranean take on food – there are some awesome dining choices in Bondi, it can be hard to pick and choose.

Who would you love to see wearing P.E Nation?

Claire: There have been so many pinch me moments already – Sofia Richie, Hailey Baldwin, Cara Delevingne, Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian, right through to the general public – we love seeing how women wear P.E and how great it makes them feel. Though it was pretty surreal seeing Elle Macpherson in P.E recently – Elle is a fellow Aussie mum and businesswoman who has always been an inspiration to us.

How do you keep healthy and in shape, while managing the daily grind?

Pip: Claire and I both do pilates, eat healthily and make sure we’re finding balance in our busy days. Business combined with motherhood is always a juggle but fitness is a priority for us both, it gives us both energy and a clearer mind to make enough room for everything in our days.

What is a piece of advice you live by, or a piece of advise you would pass on to anyone starting out in the industry?

Claire: Get your structure right and align the skill sets. Working to an org chart and re-visiting this can be very helpful, especially in a growth phase.

What's on high rotation on your spotify at the moment?

Pip: ANYTHING RIHANNA from the Album ANTI, especially “Sex with Me”, “Desperado” and “Needed Me” – Rihanna all the way at the moment.

The best beach? Why?

Claire: North Whaley – such a beautiful and secluded corner that is often private, with the best sun aspect and surf.

Pip: I’ve started to get into Gordon’s Bay – where you perch on a rock and dive in the water … it feels very European.

Lastly, where would you be if you could wake up tomorrow and be anywhere in the world?

Pip and Claire: Not contactable in Ibiza – offline, with our families in tow.